The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-23

Mr. Smith, and in support of his motion said
that excepting a very narrow area OF her terri
tory Ireland was seldom quieter than now. The
existing state of affairs would only be aggravated
by the adoption of restrictive legislation, and
whatever remedies had been proposed for those
evils would be materially weakened. The cause
"Plan of Campaign had been declared by the
Royal Land Commission to be their absolute in
ability to pay the extravagant rackrents de-
manded by the landlords. Some land agents,
he said had undertaken to coerce tenants into
purchasing their holdings under the provisions
of the Ashbourne act threatening them with
eviction il they did not consent to these terms,
yet the government demanded urgency upon a
bill empowering such men to enforce the
pay yment Of unreasonable rent or the purchase
of the land at outrageously unreasonable
price. Behind the bill. said Mr. Morley, was
the proposal that the British government would
be security if the demands of the landlords
were not satisfied thus offering premium upon
i'll treatment of tenants. Remedial legislation
which would destroy the seed and root OF dis
content would he the wisest policy that could
be pursued. When the coercion bill was passed,
in 1881. evictions and outrages increased ten.
fold, and with the experience OF that period
before them the course of the government in
returning to coercion at the present time,
would be unjustifable
Mr.. A. J. Balfour. Chief Secretary for Ire
land, said that in 1881 Mr.. Gladstone told the
House that it should consider not only the
amount but the character Of crime in Ireland
The governments bill was introduced because
the present current of crime was directed to-
| ward the subversion of the laws The conver-
sion Of the Liberal party to home rule was moth
ing short of confession that their land legis-
lation had been failure, but the new land bill.
he said, would make smoother the working OF
the act Of 1884, and give equitable relief to ten
| ants. When the opposition prepared to re-
| ceive it, the government would introduce
| bill dealing with land purchase; in
the meantime the laws must be en-
| forced. What hope was there. he asked,
| for any land-purchase measure if compact
| entered into under the act passed in 1881 could
| be broken at the bidding of the National
! Leagues If one compact was broken. another
| might be at any time and the government must
| therefore. vindicate the law and thus insure re
| spect for future legislation.
| Though neither Mr.. Smith Mr.. Balfoul
| gave any explicit statement of the govern ments
speeches discloses the fact that definite policy
| has been decided upon and fully elaborated
| covering all the legislation for Ireland that ths
| government will ever consent to pgopose. Tht
programme will open with the coercion bill
| to be introduced in the House of Lord
next week. The relief proposals will con
sist in giving tenants power to stay evic
| tions by declaring their inability
to pay full rent and wping out the claim by sur
render 20 the bankruptcy court. grand meas
ure for land puachase will follow. This meas
ure is now known to be based upon Mr.. Cham
herlain's land bank scheme. If the government
! should be defeated at any point in the develop
ment of their policy they will not resign, bu
will appeal to the country The confident ton
of the ministerialists confirms the generally ac
cepted report that Mr.. Chamberlain and Lor,
Harrington assisted in building the scheme an,
approved the final structure. The Parnelite
are eager to fight at every STEP but they find tn
Gladstonians reluctant TO support them. In
stead Of contesting the urgency motion to tn
utmost extremity, the Gladstonian whips,
fnn al
ranged with the government whips" to iivid
on the Morley amendment on Thursday. thu
opening the road to the passage of the coercion
bill beforethe Easter recess. The Parnellite
are disposed to disregard the whips" and ar
arranging to-continue the struggle independ
emily.